E124 · Colours

Ponceau 4R

High risk colourhyperactivity

Azo dye linked to hyperactivity; EU warning label required.

Category: Colours
Acceptable daily intake: 0.7 mg/kg body weight/day (EFSA)
Vegan: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes

What it is

Ponceau 4R is a synthetic azo dye giving a strawberry red, one of the "Southampton six".

How it is used in food

Provides a strawberry-red color.

Commonly found in

Confectionery
Dessert toppings
Soft drinks
Processed fish products

Health and safety

Linked to hyperactivity in children.

E124 is one of the "Southampton Six" artificial colours associated with increased hyperactivity and reduced attention in children — the finding that led the EU to require a warning label on any food containing them.

Hyperactivity in children

children · evidence: probable

Linked to increased hyperactivity and reduced attention in children in the 2007 Southampton trial, which tested it in a mixture with sodium benzoate. EFSA did not accept a causal link for the individual colour, but the EU legislated a mandatory warning label anyway.

Southampton study (Lancet 2007)

Aspirin cross-reactivity

sensitive individuals · evidence: suspected

Case reports describe urticaria and asthma-like reactions to azo colours in sensitive people, sometimes alongside aspirin sensitivity. EFSA reviewed the intolerance literature in 2009 and found it too limited to quantify.

EFSA evaluation of E124

EFSA cut its acceptable intake fourfold in 2009.

Regulatory status

Region	Status	Notes
Australia & New Zealand FSANZ	Permitted	Permitted.
European Union EFSA / European Commission	Permitted, warning label required	Authorised under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, but Annex V requires the warning statement on any food containing it. “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”
United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration)	Not approved	Never approved as a food colour in the US.

Identification on labels

E-number: E124
Colour index: 16255

Also printed asCochineal Red A

Alternatives to this additive

E162: Beetroot red — A completely natural red extracted from beets.

How it is made

Made by chemical synthesis from aromatic intermediates.

Synthesis — Produced chemically from petroleum precursors.

Worth knowing

It is an azo dye from the "Southampton six", banned in the US.

Conclusion

In the EU, any product containing E124 must carry a prominent warning label about its effects on children's attention. Due to this stigma, it has been largely removed from mainstream products but still lingers in cheap imports and discount sweets. It is entirely banned in the United States.

References

EFSA evaluation of E124 — EFSA
Southampton study (Lancet 2007) — The Lancet

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Entry last reviewed 2026-07-28.

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